Career Closet offers interview dress options
Written by Sarah Miller, Feb 22, 2012, 0 Comments
The Career Center hosts the Career Fair twice each year and business professional attire is required for entrance.
This semester the Career Center didn’t want to see anyone get turned away so they organized The Career Closet—a small collection of gently worn professional business clothes held in the Student Life Center.
“You’re trying to create an impression and part of that impression is how you present yourself with your attire,” said Barbra Higel, assistant director of the Career Center.
In previous years, potential employers were not impressed when USF St. Petersburg students were wearing flip-flops and T-shirts to the Career Fair. Last fall, the Career Center made it mandatory to wear business professional attire, and students who did not dress in business professional attire were turned away at the door.
The Career Closet will lend students clothes so that they don’t miss out on an opportunity to present themselves at the Career Fair. Currently the closet offers a limited selection but Higel hopes that it will be able to expand with the help of donations. The Career Center is seeking men’s and women’s matching suits, pants and collared shirts in all sizes. The clothes should be gently worn or new.
Between paying for parking passes and textbooks, many students may have a hard time finding room in their budgets for the cost of business attire. But it is an essential to getting a foot in the door at the career of your dreams.
“There is a great need,” Higel said. “We understand that.”
Business professional attire includes things like matching suits in neutral colors, greys, blacks and browns with an ironed light collared dress shirt. Belts should match the color of your shoes, which should be leather and closed-toe. Keep it very basic even when adding accessories. Men should wear a tie but maybe not with a cartoon on it. Women should carry a purse but perhaps not the huge tote that also fits a Chihuahua.
Thirty-two employers participated in the most recent Career Fair, including Raymond James and AARP. For more information on the Career Center and the Career Closet visit www.facebook.com/USFSPCareerCenter.
